Are You Ready for a Power Outage?

Daylight savings time will begin on Sunday, March 11 of this year. The purpose of DST is to make better use of daylight. Often, people take light for granted, only realizing its importance when it is unavailable, like in a power outage at home.  Suddenly, you may find yourself fumbling around in the dark, unable to perform the most basic tasks.

In some less-developed areas of the world, power outages are common—and that’s if the area has power at all.  In the U.S., a power outage is a very rare event, but it does happen. People must be prepared for the eventuality of a power outage because it will disrupt the normal flow of life. In severe cases, it can even endanger the health and lives of people. You could imagine what might happen to a healthcare facility, for example, if the power suddenly goes down.

Preparation is the key to mitigating the challenges of a power outage. Here are a few tips to get prepared: 

• Check the breaker switch – When you lose power, the first thing to inspect is your breaker switch. If you find the switch off, flip it back on. The absence of electricity might simply be due to the circuit breaker tripping. If the outage is only in your home, call the electric company so they can fix the problem.
• Be ready with your portable generator – Purchase a portable generator.  Generators are an excellent investment for times of emergency.  Make sure that you run your generator periodically to make sure that it is working well. Know how to operate the machine, and make sure that you keep adequate fuel on hand. 
• Keep a supply of outage-specific items – Usually, a power outage does not last long. However, this is not always the case. The Puerto Ricans learned a hard lesson when they had a prolonged power outage as a result of Hurricane Maria. Keep a readily-accessible bag filled with an ample supply of flashlights with batteries, a battery-powered radio, some cash, bottled water, and non-perishable food.
• Be familiar with the manual release of your garage door – Your electric garage door will not work during power outages, but you can still operate it manually. Make sure you know the location of the release cord so that you can leave the home and travel to a destination as needed. 
• Keep the fridge doors closed – Refrain from opening and closing your refrigerator because cold air will escape. If the outage lasts long, your food might spoil.
• Unplug devices – There could be a power surge when the electrical grid revives. Surges can damage your appliances and other devices.

Call your power company to get an estimate of how long the outage may last. Knowing a potential duration will allow you to take the necessary steps to protect your family.